Text 2. The Evolution of Democracy

Read the text and do the tasks that follow.

Between the 700s and 400s B.C., the Athenians developed a new form of government that put the power to make decisions into the hands of the people. This form of government is called a democracy, which means government by the people.

The idea of democracy was developed over several centuries.

Before the Dark Age, the people in the Greek city-states were ruled by kings. A system of government in which a king rules over a group of people is called a monarchy. In ancient Greece, the king of a city-state was also usually the head of the most powerful family.

When the king died, he usually passed on his power to govern to his eldest son.

During the Dark Age, Greek kings began to rely on wealthy landowners, or nobles, to help them defend their land from invaders. Not surprisingly, the nobles began to demand some of the king’s powers. By the end of the Dark Age, a small group of nobles shared power equally with the king in many-states. This system of government in which a few people hold over a larger group is called an oligarchy. This system was a step toward democracy, since a group of men, rather than just one man, held power.

The leaders of the oligarchies improved the government of the city-states, but during the 500s B.C. some city-states had problems of a different kind.

Some grew to be so large that their farmers could not provide enough food. Food shortages caused unrest and discontent. During this period, poorer farmers suffered greatly. Many lost their land to the wealthy and were forced to sell themselves into slavery. The discontent with the leaders of the oligarchies led to the rise of new leaders called tyrants.

Greeks called a leader who seized power by force and ruled the city-state single-handedly a tyrant. Many people supported tyrants because these leaders promised to reform the laws and to aid the poor. The tyrants of Athens, for example, accomplished their aims by canceling all debt, redistributing land, and allowing other people besides the nobles to have a say in government.

The tyrants played an important role in the development of democracy. They taught citizens that by uniting behind a leader, they could gain the power to make changes. However, some tyrants were harsh and greedy. The people of a city-state sometimes threw out one tyrant and replaced him with another.

About 510 B.C., the citizens of Athens became upset with the harsh rule of a tyrant named Hippias. With the help of soldiers from the city-state of Sparta, Hippias was driven out of Athens. But he was not replaced by a new tyrant. Instead, the citizens of Athens chose to share the decision-making power among themselves. This was the beginning of the world’s first democracy.

Several institutions assured citizens of Athens a voice in their government. A council of 500 citizens, chosen at random every year, proposed new laws. An assembly of all the citizens of Athens met about every nine days to vote on the laws. In the law courts, citizens served as jurors. They interpreted the laws and decided guilt or innocence in cases such as that of the navy generals.

All of these institutions had existed before 500 B.C. However, now they were open to more people and they were administered more fairly. For example, the government of Athens paid council members and jurors for their services. Thus, poorer citizens, as well as rich ones, could afford to take time off from their work to take part in the government of their city-state.

Not all citizens of Athens liked this new form of government. Some wealthy citizens believed the democracy gave too much power to poor citizens. Nevertheless, most Athenians appreciated their form of government.

The development of democracy has greatly influenced Western civilization. It also was an important step for the Athenians.

Comprehension

Ex. 1. On your own paper, use each word below in a sentence that shows what the word means. Write your sentence as if it were the beginning of a story.

1. democracy

2. monarchy

3. oligarchy

4. tyrant

5. city-state

6. a king

Ex. 2. Answer the following questions about the above-mentioned words.

1. Which two words are words for people? If you could be one of these people, which would you be? Why?

2. Which three words name forms of government? If you could live under one of these government, which would you choose?

Ex. 3. Complete the sentences, use the information from the text.

1. The Athenians developed a new form of government that … .

2. A system of government which a king rules … .

3. During the Dark Age, Greek Kings began to rely on wealthy landowners, or nobles … .

4. The system of government called on oligarchy was a step toward democracy, since … .

5. The discontent with the leaders of the oligarchies led … .

6. The tyrants of Athens accomplished their aims by … .

7. The beginning of the world in first democracy was that the citizens of Athens chose … .

8. Power citizens as well as rich ones, could afford to take time from their work … .

Ex. 4. Answer the following questions.

1. When did the Athenians develop a new form of government?

2. What system of government is called a monarchy?

3. What was the king of a city-state in ancient Greece?

4. Why did the nobles begin to demand some of the king’s power?

5. What is an oligarchy?

6. Can you prove that this system was a step toward democracy?

7. What problems did some city-states have during 500 s B.C.?

8. What is a tyrant?

9. Why did many people support tyrants?

10. Was Hippias replaced by a new tyrant when he was driven out of Athens?

11. What did the citizens of Athens choose instead?

12. What were these institutions?

Ex. 5. Speak on

1. Describe the four different forms of government used in Ancient Greece.

2. How democracy developed and worked in Athens.